Collapsible paperboard pallet and method



July 8, 1969 H. VOSE Ill, ETAL 3,453,973

GOLLAPSIBLE PAPERBOARD PALLET AND METHOD Filed Dec. 29, 1967 I 44 Q4INVENTORS HAMILTON VOSE HI RUDOLPH J. RQSE BY WWW, W

United States Patent 3,453,973 COLLAPSIBLE PAPERBOARD PALLET AND METHODHamilton Vose III and Rudolph J. Rose, both of 350 N. Ogden, Chicago,Ill. 60607 Filed Dec. 29, 1967, Ser. No. 694,676 Int. Cl. B65d 19/20 US.Cl. 108-51 9 'Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present inventionrelates to an improved paperboard pallet construction which is readilyformed from a single paperboard blank, and easily erected into a loadbearing pallet.

The structure is not only simple and economical, but is capable of beingengaged by a lift truck irrespective of its position on the floor, thusmaking it highly maneuverable.

The present invention relates to pallets for supporting a load forstorage and transportation, and more particularly to pallets formed ofpaperboard or the like.

The use of pallets in storing inventory provides a convenient andefficient means of maintaining goods in segregated groups, and greatlyincreases the ease with which the goods may be handled. By usingpallets, the goods placed thereon may be stored in warehouses, andtransported by conventional shipping without ever being removed from thepallet itself.

In some instances where inter and intrastate shipping as well asinterplant transportation and storage is contemplated, familiar woodenand metal pallet structures become impractical because of their weight,which must be figured in the cost of shipping. In order to minimize deadshipping weight, eiforts have been made to develop practical palletstructures from paperboard materials. In many instances, however, suchpallets have become structurally complex as a result of efforts to buildin reasonable load-bearing capacities. Also, many such pallets are notreadily assembled for use, and thus costly to use.

It is an object of the invention, in view of the foregoing, to providean improved and simplified paperboard pallet construction which islightweight while being capable of supporting heavy loads.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved paperboardpallet which is formed of a single paperboard blank, easily stored andtransported in that condition, and readily erected to a load-bearingposition when ready to be used.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensivepaperboard pallet construction which supports a load above the floor soas to permit handling by a forklift truck, and has the further advantageof being readily engaged by the tines of the forklift truck irrespectiveof the position of the pallet on the floor or dock.

Another, and still further, object of the invention is the provision ofan improved paperboard pallet which requires a minimum of materials inits manufacture and collapsible into an essential planar form fortransportation and storage prior to use, and which may be discardedafter use.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following de tailed description, taken inconjunction with drawings wherein:

FIGURES 1a and 1b are fragmentary portions of an exemplary pallet,illustrating alternative embodiments of the channel forming straps anddeck configuration;

FIGURES 2a and 2b are fragmentary portions similar to FIGURES la and 2b,illustrating the channel-forming 3,453,973 Patented July 8, 1969 strapsin their collapsed position for storage or shipping of the pallet priorto use;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary portion of the channel-formingstructure of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 4 is a figure similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the channel formingstructure of FIGURE 1b;

FIGURES 5a and 5b are fragmentary portions of pallet blanks which may beformed into the constructions of FIGURE 1a and 1b, respectively; and

FIGURE 6 is an elevation of an exemplary erected pallet in itsload-bearing position.

While the invention is susceptible of various medifications andalternative constructions, particular illustrative embodiments are setout in the drawing and will be described in detail hereinafter. It willbe understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to theparticular disclosed forms, but rather to cover all modifications,alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit andscope of the invention.

With reference now to the drawings, alternative embodiments of apaperboard pallet construction are illustrated, which constructions arereadily erected from a simple blank formed from a single sheet ofpaperboard material, and which is collapsible for storage andtransportation, and inexpensive enough to be disposable after use at theinstance of the user.

With particular reference now to FIGURES 1a and 1b, a pallet 10,constructed in accordance with the present invention is thereillustrated, and comprises a load-supporting deck 12 which is elevatedabove the floor or dock by means of load-bearing feet indicatedgenerally at 14. The feet 14 are, as may be seen in FIGURE 1a or 1b,relatively small in proportion to the deck 12. Despite the relativesmallness of the feet, however, tests have shown that by using 200-poundtest paperboard and disposing feet on opposite sides of the supportingdeck, loads of 1500 pounds are readily supported on a 30-inch spanbetween the peripheral edges of the feet.

In accomplishing this load-bearing capability, the pallet whichcomprises the present invention is nonetheless simply constructed from asingle sheet of paperboard material with minimum waster, and a minimumof operations necessary to its formation and erection into the loadsupporting condition of FIGURES 1a and lb.

With reference to FIGURES 5a and 5b, portions of blanks are thereillustrated which may be erected into the pallet constructions ofFIGUR'ES la and 1b, respectively. As illustrated in FIGURES 5a and 5b,the blank may be either rectangular or circular, or any otherappropriate, although preferably uniform shape, depending upon theintended use. At each point where a load-bearing foot is to bepositioned, the blank is provided with an integrally formed outwardlyextending tab, indicated generally at 20.

Referring initially to FIGURE 5a, and FIGURES 1a, 2a and 3,respectively, the tab 20, in this embodiment, is formed with a scoreline 22 inwardly of the terminal end 24 of the tab. The distance betweenthe score line 22 and the terminal end 24, which defines a cross flap 25is preferably equal to the width of the foot 14 extended beneath thedeck. The score line 22 is provided with a central cut 26, andlongitudinal cuts 28, which extend into the pallet deck 12, defining,with the cut 26, a central strap 30. A transverse score line 32 connectsthe cut 28, and as may he seen in FIGURE 3, in erecting the pallet, thecentral strap 30 is folded downwardly at right angles to the deck so asto extend therebelow. A second transverse score line 34, which is spacedfrom the score line 32 by a distance equal to the anticipated height ofthe foot 14, extends between the cuts 28 to define a section 36 betweenthe score lines. Again referring to FIGURE 3, the strap 30 is folded onthe score line 34 at right angles with the section 36 so that a footsection 38 defined between the score line 34 and the end of the strap,is substantially parallel with the deck 12.

The remaining portion of the tab comprises parallel spaced straps 39,joined at their ends by the flap 25. The straps are scored along theperipheral edge of the deck, on lines 40, and the sections 42 betweenthe score lines 22 and 40 are folded downwardly, as may be seen in FIG-URE 3, to define the vertical terminal Wall of the pallet, which ispreferably disposed at the peripheral edge of the deck 12. The crossflap 25 is folded, at the score line 22, inwardly at right angles to thesections 42 to a position beneath, and in face to face abutting relationwith the tongue 38. It will now be seen that, by interlocking thesections 38 and 44, such as by staples 46, a channel is defined beneaththe deck by serially spaced interlocking walls formed by the straps.

With reference to FIGURES 1 and 6, load-bearing filler material,indicated generally at 50, is inserted in the channel to therebycomplete the foot 14 which supports the pallet in a load-receivingposition.

It is contemplated that the load-bearing filler material may be stripsof corrugated cardboard having high compressive strength, and maycomprise a series of substantially identical individual strips, or asingle piece of corrugated cardboard which is partially severed andfolded, in the manner of an accordian, and inserted in the channel.

With reference to FIGURES 2a and 2b, it will be seen that once the blankof FIGURES and 5a is formed in the manner just described, the palletstructure is collapsible into an essentially fiat member having athickness, only in the flap engagement area, no greater than twice thethickness of the blank from which it is formed, and is therefore,readily stored and shipped prior to use. The filler material is likewiseeasily stored and shipped, making the pallet structure convenient to bemaintained, in its knocked down condition, in quantity prior to use.

With reference now to FIGURES 1b, 4 and 5b, an alternative load-bearingfoot construction is illustrated. In this construction, less interruptedarea is provided in the surface of the deck. This embodiment differsfrom the FIGURE 1a embodiment principally in the channel formingstructure. In the FIGURE lb embodiment the channel is formed by scoringthe tab along a transverse line 52 disposed inwardly of the terminal end50 by a distance equal to the width of the foot, and then cutting alongthe score line 52 inwardly from the side edges of the tab to apredetermined distance. Longitudinal cuts are then made along lines 54which extend from the cuts 56 inwardly to a transverse score line 58disposed inwardly from the peripheral edge of the deck by a distanceequal to the load-bearing width of the foot being formed. In thismanner, parallel straps 60 are formed on either side of a central strap62, but unlike the previous embodiment, the ends of the straps 60 arenot connected. A central strap 62, formed between the straps 60terminates in an end portion 64 having transversely extending ears 66.The central strap is scored at 68, and folded at the score line,downwardly at right angles to the surface of the deck 12. The portion 64is folded along score line 52 inwardly at 90 degrees to the previouslybent portion.

In a like manner, the flanking straps 60 are folded downwardly alongscore lines 58, and again along score lines 70 so that the terminalportions of the strap 60 overlap the ears 66 on the end portion 64 ofthe central strap. The overlapping areas of the straps are theninterconnected such as by gluing, or as by staples, and a channel ofserially spaced straps, which is illustrated in FIGURE 4is formed.

Load-bearing filler material 50 is readily received in the channel, thuscompleting the erected pallet structure. In a manner similar to thefirst embodiment described, the pallet is collapsible for storage andtransportation.

It will be seen in FIGURE 6, the feet 14 are disposed at the peripheraledge of the deck 12. In this way, support is provided to the peripheraledges of the pallet, permitting the pallet to be properly sized for theload which it is to carry. In this way, the pallet is of minimum sizefor the load it must bear and thus of minimum cost to manufacture.Moreover, since the deck defines the size of the pallet, they may bestacked side by side to save warehouse space.

It will be noted that the feet 14 are relatively small and are spacedfrom one another so as to permit the tines of a forklift truck to bereceived either between them, or on either side of one or both of them.Accordingly, the pallet and the load carried thereby are readilymanipulated by a forklift truck irrespective of the position of thepallet on the floor or dock. Thus, it is not necessary to be concernedwith the position of the pallet prior to loading the same.

It is now apparent that the pallet is simply constructed and readilyerected for use, while at the same time being sufficiently economical,both in manufacture and use, as to be disposable at the choice of theuser without significant expense.

While only two feet have been illustrated, it will be appreciated thatthe number of feet may vary with the application to which the pallet isto be put.

What is claimed is:

1. A pallet erected from a sheet a peperboard defining a load bearingdeck, said sheet having tabs extending outwardly from the peripheraledge of said deck, said tabs being scored and cut to form a series ofserially disposed foldable straps, a portion of said deck being cut toform a longitudinal extension of at least one of said straps, saidextended portion being folded downwardly beneath said deck, and theother said straps being folded downwardly at the peripheral edge of saiddeck, the free ends of said straps being fastened together to formserially spaced interconnected walls defining a channel beneath saiddeck, and load bearing fillers being secured in said channel to supportsaid deck at the peripheral edges therof.

2. The pallet construction as disclosed in claim 1 wherein said deck iscut to form an extension of a central strap.

3. The pallet construction as disclosed in claim 1 wherein said deck iscut to form extensions for the straps disposed on either side of acentral strap.

4. The pallet construction as disclosed in claim 1 wherein each said tabis scored and cut to form three adjacent straps.

5. The pallet construction as disclosed in claim 2 wherein strapsdisposed on either side of said central strap are connected by a crossflap integrally formed, and the free end of said central strap isfastened to said cross strap.

6. The pallet construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said centralstrap is formed with an end portion extending beyond the free ends ofsaid adjacent straps, said end portion having ears extendingtransversely of the longitudinal dimension of said strap, and the freeends of said adjacent straps being fastened to said ears.

7. The method of forming a collapsible paperboard pallet capable ofbeing maneuvered by a lift truck comprising the steps of (a) forming ablank of a sheet of paperboard defining a loading deck, with tabsextending outwardly from the peripheral edge thereof,

(b) cutting said tabs in said deck so as to form a series of adjacentserially spaced straps, at least one of said straps extendinglongitudinally into the loading deck,

(c) fastening the free ends of said straps together,

(d) folding said fastened straps such that the straps extending intosaid deck are folded downwardly at substantially right angles thereto,and the other 5 straps being folded downwardly at the peripheral edge ofthe deck to thereby define a series of spaced interconected wallsdefining a channel, and

(e) filling each said channel with load bearing material, whereby thedeck is supported on said load bearing material about its periphery andabove the .ground.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein each tab is formed intothree straps, and a central one of the straps is formed with an endportion extending beyond the free ends of the straps adjacent thecentral strap, and the free ends of the adjacent straps being fastenedto the end portion.

9. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein each tab is formed intothree adjacent straps, and the straps on either side of the centralstrap are interconected by a cross piece disposed outwardly of the freeend of the central strap, and the free end of the central strap beingfastened to the cross piece.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Desbois 108-56 Hemann 10856Desbois 10855 X Doane 10856 Anderson et al. 10856 Nelson 108--51 US. Cl.X.R.

